Device for adjusting the position of a ski binding

ABSTRACT

The present invention refers to a position adjustment device for a ski binding comprising a support plate ( 1 ) for an element of said ski binding that is slidably associable to a ski, and an arm ( 3 ) provided with one or more cogs ( 4 ) adapted to mesh with a toothing ( 5 ) of a rack ( 6 ) associable in a firmly joined manner to said ski, said arm ( 3 ) being capable of oscillating about a first axis ( 8 ), which extends substantially perpendicular to said plate ( 1 ), between a first operative state, in which said one or more cogs ( 4 ) are meshed with said toothing ( 5 ), and a second operative state, in which said one or more cogs ( 4 ) are disengaged from said toothing ( 5 ); the device further comprises an actuating member ( 7 ) that is operatively coupled to said arm ( 3 ) and displaceable between a retracted position, in which said actuating member ( 7 ) lies adjacent to said plate ( 1 ) and said arm ( 3 ) is in said first operative state thereof, and an extracted position, in which said actuating member ( 7 ) moves away from said plate ( 1 ) and transmits its motion to said arm ( 3 ) to bring it into said second operative state thereof.

The present invention refers to a device for the adjustment of the position of a ski binding attached to a ski in a selectively slidable manner, in view of enabling differently sized boots to be fastened to the same binding.

Various devices are currently known in the art to be adapted to enable the position of the binding relative to the ski and, more exactly, the centre-to-centre distance between the front portion or toe-piece of the binding and the rear portion or heel-piece thereof to be adjusted so as to allow differently sized ski boots to be inserted and locked therein in a stable and safe manner. An example of a device of this kind is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,555 to Marker Deutschland GmbH.

A drawback that is usually to be found in such prior-art devices lies in the really considerable stress that has to be applied and maintained on to the locking and fastening members, such as hook or ratchet levers and the like, to disengage them from the related engagement members, such as cog racks and the like, so as to release the binding from the initial position thereof and enable it to slide along the ski in view of moving into a new position such as required or found adequate for a boot of the desired size to be able to be fastened and locked thereto. Sometimes, for the binding portions to be so released the need arises for a tool, such as a screwdriver, to be used in view of increasing the lever arm of the above-cited fastening and locking means.

A further drawback of these prior-art devices lies in the poor prehensility of such fastening and locking means, which are usually quite small in size and located in positions that make it particularly awkward and difficult to seize them, such as for instance below the body of the binding itself, in view of preventing them from being accidentally disengaged or released during skiing, which would quite obviously prove rather dangerous for the skier.

In general, the above-mentioned drawbacks give rise to considerable difficulties in trying to actuate the fastening and locking means when these are required to be released from the related engagement members in view of adjusting the position of the binding, wherein such difficulties weigh in a particular heavy manner, i.e. make themselves particularly felt in the case of ski and boot rental operations, in which this adjustment is rather the rule.

It therefore is a main object of the present invention to solve the above-noted technical problems by providing a position adjustment device for a ski binding, which is easy and convenient to actuate.

Within the above general object, a purpose of the present invention is to provide a position adjustment device for a ski binding, in which both seizing and then actuating the fastening and locking means can be done in a most convenient manner.

A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a position adjustment device for a ski binding, in which the actuation of the device itself may be made manually under application of just a small force and without any use of special tools that may not be readily available in all cases.

Another by no way less important purpose of the present invention is to provide a position adjustment device for a ski binding that can be manufactured at competitive costs with the use of readily available machinery and tools.

According to the present invention, these aims and advantages, along with further ones that will be apparent in the following description, are reached in a position adjustment device for a ski binding incorporating the characteristics and features as recited in the appended claim 1.

Further features and advantages of the device according to the present invention are defined in the following sub-claims. Anyway, all such features and advantages will be more readily understood from the description of a particular, although not sole embodiment of the inventive device that is given below by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of a base or support plate for an element of a ski binding, such as a toe-piece, to which there is associated a position adjustment device according to the present invention, as viewed in a retracted position in a first operative state thereof;

FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom view of the support plate and the device illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a same view as the one appearing in FIG. 2 of the device shown in the preceding Figures, as viewed in an extracted position in a first operative state thereof;

FIG. 4 is a same view as the one appearing in the preceding Figure of the device shown in FIG. 2, as viewed in an extracted position in a second operative state thereof;

FIG. 5 is a perspective top view of a second embodiment of a position adjustment device according to the present invention, as viewed in a retracted position in a first operative state thereof;

FIG. 6 is a perspective bottom view of the support plate and the device illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a same view as the one appearing in FIG. 5 of the device shown in the preceding Figures, as viewed in an extracted position in a second operative state thereof;

FIG. 8 is a same view as the one appearing in FIG. 6 of the inventive device, as viewed in the position shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective top view of a third embodiment of a position adjustment device according to the present invention, as viewed in a retracted position in a first, closed, operative state thereof;

FIG. 10 is a perspective bottom view of the support plate and the device illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective top view of the position adjustment device of FIG. 9 as viewed in an extracted position and in an intermediate operative state thereof;

FIG. 12 is a perspective bottom view of the device shown in FIG. 9 in the position shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective top view of the position adjustment device of FIG. 9 as viewed in an extracted position and in a second, opened, operative state thereof;

FIG. 14 is a perspective bottom view of the device shown in FIG. 9 in the position shown in FIG. 13.

With reference to the above-cited Figures, the reference numeral 1 is used there to indicate a support plate for an element of a ski binding, such as a toe-piece, which is slidably associable to a ski in a manner as generally known as such in the art, e.g. along appropriate longitudinal runners attached to the ski, and selectively lockable in a given desired position along the longitudinal extension of the same ski. Under the plate 1 there is associated a device 2 for the adjustment of the position of the ski binding along the ski. More exactly, the device 2 is adapted to lock the longitudinal displacement of the plate 1 into a desired position, as well as to release the same plate 1 to enable it to move into a newly selected position along the longitudinal axis of the ski.

To this purpose, the device 2 for the adjustment of the position of the ski binding—which will be considered with particular reference to the toe-piece thereof throughout the following description, although the same solution is of course to be understood as equally applying also to the heel-piece of such binding—comprises a swinging arm 3 oscillating about a first axis 8, which is substantially perpendicular to the plate 1, between a first operative state and a second operative state. On the surface thereof facing the upper portion of the ski, the arm 3 is provided with one or more cogs 4 adapted to mesh with corresponding cogs provided in the toothing 5 of a rack 6 lying therebelow and attached to the upper surface of the ski. In the first operative state, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cogs 4 of the arm 3 are meshed with the toothing 5 so as to stop the longitudinal displacement of the plate 1 along the ski and lock it into the selected position, whereas in the second operative state, shown in FIG. 4, the cogs 4 are released from the toothing 5 so as to enable the plate 1 to be displaced longitudinally along the ski in view of setting the toe-piece of the binding in a different position on the same ski.

The device further comprises an actuating member 7 hinged on to the arm 3 in correspondence to a second axis 9, extending substantially perpendicular to the plate 1; as a result, the actuating member 7 is capable of rotating about this second axis 9 between a retracted position, in which it lies adjacent to the plate 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and an extracted position, in which it is moved away from the same plate 1, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The angular amplitude of this rotation is controlled by abutment means 10 provided on the same actuating member 7 so as to be adapted to interact with corresponding stop means 11 provided on the arm 3.

The operation of the locking device according to the present invention is as follows: starting from the retracted position of the actuating member 7, and with the arm 3 lying in the first operative state thereof, in which the cogs 4 are meshed with the toothing 5 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and, therefore, with the plate 1 supporting the toe-piece duly locked onto the ski, the user has just to operate the actuating member 7 to rotate it about the second axis 9 and bringing it into the extracted position thereof until the actuating member 7 reaches an intermediate position wherein the abutment means 10 strike against, i.e. come into contact with the stop means 11; from this intermediate position, the rotary motion imparted to the actuating member 7 is transmitted to the arm 3, whose cogs 4 are in this way caused to disengage the toothing 5 owing to the oscillation of the arm 3 about the first axis 8. The plate 1 is in this way released and capable of displacing longitudinally along the ski into a new desired position of the toe-piece.

In an advantageous manner, the oscillation of the arm 3, and possibly also the rotation of the actuating member 7, may occur against the action of appropriate elastic means (not shown in the Figures).

Fully apparent from the above description is therefore the ability of the position adjustment device for a ski binding according to the present invention to effectively reach the aims and advantages cited afore. What the present invention in fact provides is a position adjustment device for a ski binding that is most easy and convenient to use and handle, in which both seizing and then actuating the release and locking means can be done in a most convenient manner thanks to the possibility for the actuating member 7 to be properly extracted, thereby facilitating position adjustment operations to a considerable extent.

Moreover, the device according to the present invention can be operated, i.e. actuated manually, without any need arising for appropriate tools—which may in fact not always be readily available—to be used to that purpose, under application of just a low force thanks to the increase in the lever arm of the arm 3 ensured by the extractable actuating member 7.

A further advantage ensured by the device according to the present invention derives from the device itself ensuring full safety during skiing, since the possibility for the actuating member 7 to be set back into a retracted position upon completing an adjustment allows for no protruding parts to be left there, which may in fact be exposed to bumps and impacts to the point of even causing accidents to occur during skiing.

It will be readily appreciated that the inventive device as described above may be subject to a number of different applications, embodiments and modifications thereof without departing from the scope of the present invention.

So, for instance, illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 8 there is a second embodiment of a device according to the present invention, which comprises a swinging arm 103 oscillating about a first axis 108, substantially perpendicular to a support plate 101 for a portion of a ski binding, such as, a toe-piece. At a free end portion thereof, the arm 103 is provided—on the surface thereof facing the upper portion of the ski—with one or more cogs 104 adapted to mesh with a corresponding number of cogs of the toothing 105 of a rack 106 provided therebelow and attached to the upper surface of the ski; at the opposite end portion thereof, said arm is provided with a first sector gear 112. The arm 103 is capable of oscillating between a first operative state, illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, in which the cogs 104 are meshed with the toothing 105 so as to stop the longitudinal displacement of the plate 101 along the ski and lock it into the selected position, and a second operative state, illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, in which the cogs 104 are disengaged from the toothing 105 so as to enable the plate 101 to be displaced longitudinally along the ski in view of setting the toe-piece of the binding in a different position on the same ski.

The device further comprises an actuating member 107 hinged on to the plate 101 in correspondence to a second axis 109, extending substantially perpendicular to the same plate 101; to the actuating member 107 there is firmly associated a disk 113 provided with a second sector gear 114 adapted to mesh with the first sector gear 112. The actuating member 107 is capable of rotating about the second axis 109 between a retracted position, in which it lies adjacent to the plate 101 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and an extracted position, in which it is moved away from the same plate 101, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The angular amplitude of this rotation is controlled by abutment means 111 provided on the plate 101.

The operation of the device according to this embodiment of the present invention is as follows: starting from the retracted position of the actuating member 107, with the arm 103 lying in the first operative state thereof, in which the cogs 104 are meshed with the toothing 105 and the first sector gear 112 engages the second sector gear 114 (FIGS. 5 and 6) and, therefore, with the plate 101 supporting the toe-piece duly locked onto the ski, the user has just to operate the actuating member 107 to rotate it about the second axis 109 for the rotary motion imparted thereto to be transmitted to the arm 103 so as to cause the latter to rotate in turn about the first axis 108, owing to the second sector gear 114 interacting with the first sector gear 112, until the actuating member 107 comes eventually to bear against the abutment means 111. In this way, the cogs 104 are caused to disengage the toothing 105, thereby releasing the plate 101 from its locked state and enabling it to be displaced longitudinally along the ski into a new desired position of the toe-piece.

As in the case of the previously described embodiment, the oscillation, i.e. rotation of the arm 103, and possibly also the rotation of the actuating member 107, may again occur against the action of appropriate elastic means (not shown in the Figures).

A third embodiment of a device according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 9 to 13; the device comprises a swinging arm 203 located at one side of a support plate 201 for a portion of a ski binding, such as a toe-piece; the swinging arm 203 is capable of oscillating about a first axis 208, substantially perpendicular to the support plate 201. The swinging arm 203 is T- or L-shaped such that it is formed by a first portion 203 a provided—on the surface thereof facing the upper portion of the ski—with one or more cogs 204 adapted to mesh with a corresponding number of cogs of the toothing 205 of a rack 206 provided therebelow and attached to the upper surface of the ski; at the opposite end portion thereof. In a first operative state, shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the cogs 204 of the arm 203 are meshed with the toothing 205 so as to stop the longitudinal displacement of the plate 201 along the ski and lock it into the selected position, whereas in the second operative state, shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the cogs 204 are released from the toothing 205 so as to enable the plate 201 to be displaced longitudinally along the ski in view of setting the toe-piece of the binding in a different position on the same ski.

The device further comprises an actuating member 207 hinged on to the arm 203 at a second portion 203 b arranged substantially at right angle in respect of the first portion 203 a forming the T- or L-shaped arm 203; the actuating member 207 is hinged at second axis 209 arranged on the second portion 203 b and extending substantially perpendicular to the plate 201; as a result, the actuating member 207 is capable of rotating about this second axis 209 between a retracted position, in which it lies adjacent to the plate 201 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, and an extracted position, in which it is moved away from the same plate 201, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The angular amplitude of this rotation is controlled by abutment means 210 provided on the same actuating member 207 so as to be adapted to interact with corresponding stop means 211 provided on the second portion 3 b of the arm 3. The operation of the locking device according to this embodiment is as follows: starting from the retracted position of the actuating member 207 arranged against one side of the plate 201, and with the arm 203 lying in the first operative state wherein the cogs 204 are meshed with the toothing 205 (FIGS. 9 and 10), such that the plate 201 supporting the toe-piece is duly locked onto the ski, the user has just to operate the actuating member 207 to rotate it about the second axis 209 and bringing it into the extracted position thereof until the actuating member 207 reaches an intermediate position wherein the abutment means 210 strike against, i.e. come into contact with the stop means 211, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12; from this intermediate position, the further rotary motion imparted to the actuating member 207 is transmitted to the arm 203, whose cogs 204 are in this way caused to disengage the toothing 205 owing to the oscillation of the arm 203 about the first axis 208. The plate 201 is in this way released and capable of displacing longitudinally along the ski into a new desired position of the toe-piece.

In an advantageous manner, the oscillation of the arm 203, and possibly also the rotation of the actuating member 207, may occur against the action of appropriate elastic means (not shown in the Figures).

It shall finally be appreciated that the materials used to manufacture the inventive device, as well as the shapes and the sizing thereof, may each time be selected so as to more appropriately meet the particular requirements or suit the particular application. 

1. Position adjustment device for a ski binding comprising a support plate (1, 101, 201) for an element of said ski binding that is slidably associable to a ski, an arm (3, 103, 203) provided with one or more cogs (4, 104, 204) adapted to mesh with a toothing (5, 105, 205) of a rack (6, 106, 206) associable in a firmly joined manner to said ski, said arm (3, 103, 203) being capable of oscillating about a first axis (8, 108, 208), which extends substantially perpendicular to said plate (1, 101, 201), between a first operative state, in which said one or more cogs (4, 104, 204) are meshed with said toothing (5, 105, 205), and a second operative state, in which said one or more cogs (4, 104, 204) are disengaged from said toothing (5, 105, 205), characterized in that it further comprises an actuating member (7, 107, 207) that is operatively coupled to said arm (3, 103, 203) and displaceable between a retracted position, in which said actuating member (7, 107, 207) lies adjacent to said plate (1, 101, 201) and said arm (3, 103, 203) is in said first operative state thereof, and an extracted position, in which said actuating member (7, 107, 207) moves away from said plate (1, 101, 201) and transmits its motion to said arm (3, 103, 203) to bring it into said second operative state thereof.
 2. Device according to claim 1, wherein said actuating member (7, 207) is hinged on to said arm (3, 203) at a second axis (9, 209) extending substantially perpendicular to said plate (1, 201), said actuating member (7, 207) being capable of rotating about said second axis (9, 209) between said retracted position and said extracted position thereof.
 3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the angular amplitude of said rotation of the actuating member (7, 207) is controlled by abutment means (10, 210) provided on said actuating member (7, 207) and adapted to interact with corresponding stop means (11, 211) provided on said arm (3, 203).
 4. Device according to claim 3, wherein said actuating member (7, 207) transmits its motion to said arm (3, 203) to displace it from said first to said second operative state thereof when said abutment means (10, 210) come to rest against said stop means (11, 211).
 5. Device according to claim 1, wherein said actuating member (207) is located at one side of said plate (201) arranged, in use, adjacent one longitudinal edge of a ski.
 6. Device according to claim 5, wherein said arm (203) is T- or L-shaped having a first portion (203 a) and a second portion (203 b) arranged at right angle in respect to said first portion (203 a), said one or more cogs (204) being located at said first portion (203 a) and said second axis being located at said second portion (203 b).
 7. Device according to claim 1, wherein a free end of said arm (103) is provided with a first sector gear (112).
 8. Device according to claim 7, wherein said actuating member (107) is hinged on to said plate (101) in correspondence to a second axis (109), which extends substantially perpendicular to the same plate (101), and is provided with a second sector gear (114) adapted to mesh with said first sector gear (112), said actuating member (107) being capable of rotating about said second axis (109) between said retracted position and said extracted position.
 9. Device according to claim 8, wherein the rotation of said actuating member (107) from said retracted position to said extracted position thereof is transmitted, through said first sector gear (112) meshing with said second gear (114), to said arm (103), thereby displacing the latter from said first to said second operative state thereof.
 10. Device according to claim 9, wherein the angular amplitude of said rotation of the actuating member (107) is controlled by abutment means (111) provided on said plate (101).
 11. Device according to claim 1, wherein the oscillation of said arm (3, 103, 203), and possibly also the rotation of said actuating member (7, 107, 207), occurs against the action of appropriate elastic means.
 12. Ski binding provided with a position adjustment device as in claim
 1. 13. In combination a ski and a ski binding provided with a position adjustment device as in claim
 1. 14. Device according to claim 2, wherein said actuating member (207) is located at one side of said plate (201) arranged, in use, adjacent one longitudinal edge of a ski.
 15. Device according to claim 3, wherein said actuating member (207) is located at one side of said plate (201) arranged, in use, adjacent one longitudinal edge of a ski.
 16. Device according to claim 4, wherein said actuating member (207) is located at one side of said plate (201) arranged, in use, adjacent one longitudinal edge of a ski.
 17. Device according to claim 14, wherein said arm (203) is T- or L-shaped having a first portion (203 a) and a second portion (203 b) arranged at right angle in respect to said first portion (203 a), said one or more cogs (204) being located at said first portion (203 a) and said second axis being located at said second portion (203 b).
 18. Device according to claim 15, wherein said arm (203) is T- or L-shaped having a first portion (203 a) and a second portion (203 b) arranged at right angle in respect to said first portion (203 a), said one or more cogs (204) being located at said first portion (203 a) and said second axis being located at said second portion (203 b).
 19. Device according to claim 16, wherein said arm (203) is T- or L-shaped having a first portion (203 a) and a second portion (203 b) arranged at right angle in respect to said first portion (203 a), said one or more cogs (204) being located at said first portion (203 a) and said second axis being located at said second portion (203 b).
 20. Device according to claim 2, wherein the oscillation of said arm (3, 103, 203), and possibly also the rotation of said actuating member (7, 107, 207), occurs against the action of appropriate elastic means. 